Fix Ceiling Fan Turns on by Itself Issue

There are very few things more frustrating than an electrical issue in your home that you can’t identify. If your ceiling fan is turning on by itself, you may be wondering what you can do to fix this common annoyance. There are many reasons it could be happening as well as solutions.

If your ceiling fan turns on by itself, the odds are there is an issue with the remote control frequency. Change your ceiling fan remote and receiver’s frequency to mitigate the issue. If that doesn’t work, check your wiring and circuit breaker for problems.

Electrical issues are always difficult to diagnose. They tend to be a little more esoteric than some other problems that may come up. In this article, we will go through all the possible causes as well as solutions that can help you narrow it down and solve the problem.

Safety Tips

When dealing with electricity, safety is of the utmost importance. It only takes one mistake to have dire consequences, so it is always best to make sure you are doing everything you can. Proper safety protocol should always be strictly observed.

When working with electricity, always wear safety gloves. While these may not be foolproof, they will absolutely help in the event that you accidentally touch a live wire. This is imperative for any electrical job no matter how experienced you may be.

It is also a good idea to wear eye safety glasses as well. Oftentimes, fan blades get a build up of dust and dirt on them that can fall when working with the fan and get in your eyes. No one wants to have to deal with that unpleasantness on top of having electrical issues.

What Causes a Ceiling Fan to Turn on by Itself?

Remote Frequency

Many modern ceiling fans come equipped with remote controls. While this can be incredibly convenient, it can also be the source of a lot of problems. Remote controls work on frequencies that other appliances also use, causing interference.

Receiver Issues

Inside your remote-controlled ceiling fan mounting bracket, there is a receiver that translates the signals from the remote. This receiver can become damaged or dusty. This can cause it to become confused and turn on the fan when it shouldn’t.

Frayed Wiring

It is possible that the wiring supplying power to your fan is frayed. This tends to happen with time or pests and can cause the fan to turn on by itself. It is also incredibly dangerous and must be dealt with right away.

Switches Throughout the House

Sometimes, light switches that run throughout your home control things that you didn’t know about. They can often be attached to things like outlets and appliances and can turn them on or off. This is worth investigating for your ceiling fan issue.

How Can I Fix My Ceiling Fan?

Change the Remote and Receiver Frequency

The frequency of your remote-controlled ceiling fan can be changed if you believe there is some kind of interference. This can usually be done by opening up the back of the remote. The receiver is usually located behind the direction switch on the fan and can be changed there.

Check Your Wiring

Wearing your safety gloves, unscrew the base of your ceiling fan and check for any frayed wiring. This will be easy to spot and should be addressed right away. Also look in your home’s circuit breaker box for any shorts or issues that might interfere with the power.

Check All Light Switches

Turn your ceiling fan off. Then, methodically, go around your home flipping switches and checking to see if the fan turns on. This process may take a while, but you might be surprised to find out that a light switch in the basement controls the ceiling fan for some reason.

How Can I Prevent My Ceiling Fan Turning on by Itself?

Your home should be inspected at least every five years for any electrical or wiring issues. This is a good way to prevent the frayed wiring that could lead to a short. You could not only be fixing your fan issue, you could be saving your home from an electrical fire.

You can also prevent fan issues by regularly cleaning the blades and housing itself. Ceiling fans are very prone to dust and dirt due to the way they whip through the air. Clean the fan once a month to prevent any interference due to excess dirt buildup.

What Should I Do if My Ceiling Fan Won’t Turn Off at All?

If your ceiling fan will not turn off, odds are that your fan’s speed control has shorted. In older houses, ceiling fans will have three wires leading from the ceiling. A black wire, a white wire and a red wire. While the black and white wires provide power, the red one controls the speed.

If your red wire has become frayed or deteriorated, the fan could be spinning out of control. This means you will have to replace the wiring or the speed control itself. In the case of replacing the wiring, this is a relatively easy fix.

Sometimes, however, the issue is with the motor itself. In this case, the entire ceiling fan will have to be replaced. Fans are not usually user serviceable and the motors are difficult to work on. Fortunately, this is relatively rare.

How Much Does it Cost to Fix My Ceiling Fan?

Depending on what your specific issue is, fixing your ceiling fan could be completely free. If it is just a matter of changing the remote frequency, this won’t cost you a dime. Most of the fixes we have looked at are inexpensive or no cost at all.

Replacing wiring will have a small cost. It is not recommended that the average DIYer work on household-level electricity. Because of this, you will have to hire an electrician which could work out to about $150 to $300.

If, however, you end up having to replace the fan, this could be a significant expense. Ceiling fans range anywhere from $100 to $3,000. If you are going to have someone else do the installation, this will be another $150 to $300.